The Flatline System for the M98 Custom is a personal choice for most players. The advantages will far outweigh the disadvantages for most recreational players.

I would recommend this system for any player that has prior military experience or training as a MUST have upgrade. The difference between a regular barrel (excluding the stock barrel because it's useless) and the Flatline is the difference between shooting a 9MM and an M-16 when playing paintball. The Flatline gives you a MUCH better chance to "reach out and touch someone" than you get with a non-Flatline system on your M-98.

For younger players, I would recommend that you borrow a M-98 with the Flatline before you go and purchase it. It improves the balance of the marker by giving you a forward position to place your hand, but it may be too "long" for younger players or players with short arms.

Fact - Better Distance/Accuracy

The Flatline offers users the opportunity to reach targets at a greater distance than is possible with conventional technology. While I have yet to experience the "awesome" range increase that some users claim, I am easily able to shoot an offhand 12 inch group at 135 feet (yes we measured) placing 24 out of 25 balls (RPS Marbs) within a 12 inch grouping at that distance.

Fiction - Eats Paintballs

The Flatline doesn't "chop" any more balls than any other barrel if you use the correct paint. I enjoy testing things and on our most recent country outing, I fired 6000 paintballs to test various paint in the barrel (having read so many reviews about what a vegi-matic this system was.)

The lesser quality paint was much more prone to breakage when firing rapidly . A friend of mine had box of Brass Eagle Ammo that he wanted to get rid of, so I bought it from him for a few dollars. When trying to use BE ammo, the breakage was unbelievably bad.

When you break a ball in the barrel, it does affect the accuracy of the marker. I was unable to to consistantly hit anything past 70 feet after breaking a ball in the barrel, but cleaning the barrel with the supplied tool takes less than 20 seconds.

Fiction - The Balls "Float"

I have a friend that can dispell this myth in a hurry. I've read that the balls appear to be moving slower because of the lack of arc. I can't attest to that, must have lost my physics degree somewhere, but I can tell you that my friend said the balls coming from my gun towards him looked "slow and lazy" so he decided to catch one. He was off the field icing his hand shortly after that, he also said the next round that I shot (the one that hit his mask) hurt quite a bit. Some people say the balls from the Flatline travel so slowly that they can be dodged. At 280 FPS the ball leaves the barrel approaching 190 MPH, a human being standing 60 feet away has 0.20 seconds from the time the ball is fired until impact. How far can you move in 0.20 seconds? Your mind can't even register that the trigger was pulled in that amount of time, so I'm dubious about claims that people "dodge" paintballs.

If you're shooting a longer distance, the ball actually gets there first. At 80 feet my friend with a M-98 has to aim slightly high to make sure the ball reaches the target. We stood an equal distance from a target as someone counted down and pulled the trigger at the same time. His ball had to arch through the air (thus traveling farther) while mine went straight downrange. My ball hit the plywood noticiably before his.

Fact - At Extreme Range Balls from a Flatline May Not Break

This seems like a no brainer to me, but a big deal to some people. Yes, if you're shooting at something 175 feet away (even something hard) the ball from the Flatline may not break (I'd say one out of two do though.) But since you CAN'T hit something that far away without the Flatline a 50% chance of breaking on the target seems like a huge improvement over a 0% chance.

Fiction - Maintenance is a Problem

If you have the wit to work on/clean a real firearm, the M-98 with a Flatline presents about as much challenge to maintain as pumping gas. I'm no mechanical genius, but I can break down the whole system in under two minutes.

Fact - Installation Takes Care and Concentration

To install the system correctly, you need to take your time and follow the directions. The only problem I had was the spring clip that provides tension to the front sight (and the bar that allows you to swing the feed arm down) kept popping out of place. Poor design on Tippmann's part, really ZERO to do with the Flatline because it's part of the stock M-98 marker.

Fiction - The Barrel Uses more CO2.

I won't even dignify that complaint with a response.

Fiction - The System Makes the Gun Too "Big/Heavy"

This is likely true for players of short stature, I'm 5'9" and it's not a problem for me. As for it keeping you from "taking corners" here's some advice. Most paintballers I've seen move around the corner and follow with the marker. The head/shoulder of the player comes around the corner and then the marker is aligned for the shot. In the Army we used to call that "dumb." Point your marker down (not up) and move it around the corner first, as you bring your leg around snap the gun up into firing position as your shoulder clears the obstacle and bring your head around and crouch. If it's clear proceed, if not, from the crouch you can make the decision to engage (your marker is up and ready to fire) or retreat behind cover. Crouching lowers your profile. If you watched any of the Iraqi war coverage, you saw how the soldiers moved around corners. Weapon first, snap it up, bend slightly, look, fire/retreat/advance. I know for a fact that an M-16 or even a cut down M-4 is longer than a Tippmann with a Flatline.

As to it being to heavy, maybe if your 10 or really weak it is, for me nope and I doubt it is for most players either.

Conclusion:

This system allows "Zone Control" on an unheard of level in the arena of paintball. Since adding this to my M-98C, I have the ability to control everything within 75 feet of my position. I mean CONTROL. Nobody gets within that arc unless I let them or I don't see them. I can shoot through a fork in a tree at 75 feet, first time every time, if you're within 75 feet and in the open, you might as well save yourself the bruise and call yourself out because you're going to get painted, period. If you're farther away than that, I can still pin you down and paint you if I throw enough balls your direction. The system takes experience to use properly. It takes patience to find the right velocity setting to propel the balls at 280 to 300 FPS. The system requires a higher grade of paint and is thus more expensive to operate. I am no longer allowed to play on defense when we play capture the flag because I could sit back nice and safe and pop anyone that gets close to the flag, so I'm relegated to offense only.

I would not say this system is for everyone, but it's made me a more capable player and it intimidates the other team more than you can imagine to know that they still have 20 to 50 feet to cover before they can get an accurate shot at me even though my balls are breaking around them.

Recommend for Adults with Military Training, Hunting Experience or individuals that are more comfortable with a marker that fires/feels closer to a real weapon than a shiny ray gun.

Not Recommended for Children, Individuals under 5'6" or people that like to spray and pray.

I'm giving this product a 9 because it does have its flaws, but the good truly outweighs the bad. Matched with a R/T it's almost an unfair advantage.

The accuracy of this review is disputed. Please see discussion on the comments page.

Period ofProduct Use:

6 months

61 of 75 people found this review helpful.

PaintballExperience:

2 years

SimilarProducts Used:

There are no other barrels on the market similer to the Flatline. I guess if you run a piece of masking tape along the top inside edge of the stock barrel, you could cause enough friction to give the ball backspin. : )

Marker Setup:

Tippmann 98 Custom
Flatline
Various other accessories.

RecommendedPaintballs:

Blaze paintballs never gave me a problem. I also liked TC Venum, but that paint was SO hard that it didnt break on targets far away. I have used the cheapo $32 a crate practice paint without MANY problems (Obviously, had some breaks). Try to go with a good ball though. I used 32 Degrees Team Color and RPS BIg Ball. They worked fine.

Strengths:

--Looks - The least important feature in the long run. Either way, it adds great looks to your gun.

--Distance - Unsurpassed distance can be achieved. Perfect for supprising people on the other side of the field with shots that actually hit them.
>---Great for Speedball or Sceanario matches.

--Accurate - We arnt looking for PINPOINT accuracy here. But once you get the barrel adjusted (if you even need to) , you can have Great shots, even from 100 feet. Just be sure to adjust your back sight.

--Powerful - Some say the power created by the backspin slows the ball down too much. Well id does slow it down, but that is only with LONG shots. I have not noticed any power problem if you dont try for those "150 ft+" shots.

--Did I forget to mension??? - The balls travel in a flatline for average shots - no gravity arch right away!!! The best part of this gun!

Weaknesses:

--Loud - Bad if you are a Sniper on a scenario match.

--Must keep it clean - Any paint, dirt, or gun oil can throw off your shot. (A good way to clean it without taking it all apart - put a wire squeegie through the ball feed and work it through and out the muzzle)(Some people I know never thought of that! LOL)

--Bad on windy days - Any good wind can throw off your shot more-so than a regular barrel due to its backspin.

--Expencive - $109 by itself. I got mine in a package, which made it seem much better. If you look around at starter Flatline packages, and be sure you know the quality of everything else, you can get them much cheaper. I paid about $60.

--Hard to initially install - Took me forever to realize you have to take off the whole reciever to get the adapter in. That limits you to only using the flatline untill you disassemble your gun again.

Conclusion:

There are other expensive, technological barrels out there, but none of them do what the Flatline does. It is a one of a kind. All of the good things about it sort of cancel out anything bad I found about it. Once you overcome the price barriar and learn how to care for and use the Flatline, you will love it. I think it is one of the most unique and best barrels out. Now I just want that Autococker with the Flatline to Upgrade from my Tippmann! : ) (Got nothing against Tippmann - I love my Tippy!)

It cost $100.
But that is no more than the other "hyped" barrels out there.

Conclusion:

This barrel rocks! I installed it in under 10 minutes and it was shooting straight as an arrow. If you can use a screwdriver and read, then the installation will be no problem for you.
As for the balls going slower. Wrong! I am painting players using Boomsticks whose balls are bouncing 20 yards in front of me. Because the ball has a flat trajectory it is hard for the human eye to judge the speed of it. Whereas the average barrel shoots balls in an arching pattern, making it easier for the human eye to see the ball "moving."
After buying this I have yet to use any of my other barrels.

Uhhh... I have not run into any problems with paint, and I have used Brass Eagle, Midnight, PMI Team, and many others.

Strengths:

Distance.
Accuracy.
NEVER chops paint.

Weaknesses:

Odd balance for stock users.

Review:

Don't hold me to those timelines... I can't really remember when I got the barrel and gun.

First things first, any of y'all that think this barrel is too heavy, GO LIFT SOME WEIGHTS! You should have to be incapable of walking before this should be considered "heavy." Sure, after using stock forever, the balance is a bit off, but after a year of using it I can hit a speed limit sign at 40 feet shooting one handed from the hip. Yes, the barrel certainly is longer, but it is not a pain... that is what makes it so accurate. Any one who thinks this barrel slows the paint has never been shot at... I've gotten five shots off before they could realize they were being shot, and all five went within 2.5 feet of each other. He was out long before he had time to react. My only complaint would be the balls have a tendency to dip at the very begining of the shot, so shooting on the ground is not as simple... but I may have been holding the gun slightly downward. I have seen several complaints that the barrel is too noisy, but I did not notice any increase in sound. Besides, if they are out, who cares who heard you? This barrel has gotten me out of many 4-on-1 crossfires. Also, the distance allows you to stand at the back of a field, get comfortable, and rain pain on the enemy at distances well over three blocks. (Where I live, that's about a football field + endzones... 120 yards.) I gave my entire team enough time to get cover within 50 feet of the opposition, and then joined in the fighting about 20 feet behind them. I took out at least 3, not including the artillery shots i was taking before the real fighting began. O... and for you that think it is too hard to break down, all you have to do is loosen the front bolt of your gun and it comes right out. I can break down the enitire gun in less than 2 minutes, provided i have the right tools.

I know that I really shouldn't put this in here, but the Tippmann 98 Custom is an excellent gun. Even with the stock barrel, I never chopped paint, and I have only cleaned my gun once in... 4 or 5 years. It kept right on pumping out that paint, even though it has been dropped, thrown, landed on, hit against a tree, scraped, had paint blown all over it (damn those automatics) been soaked in water and left to dry. It still works like the day it came out of it's box.

Conclusion:

The barrel is DEFINITELY worth the money. It will increase your skill dramatically. Not recommended for whiney S.O.B.'s or newb's too stupid to know a good thing when it bites them in the butt. 10 out of 10

EDIT: I was searching through the pages, and reading from Lowest First, all the 1 of 10 ratings ended on page 3. Reading from Highest First, it ended on page 54 or 55. Need I say more?

Performed even better then I anticipated. Accuracy was not perfect, but still very good. Much easier to aim as paintballs now travel in straight line much like a rifle, rather then having to lob. I am getting AT LEAST 100 feet more accurate distance then my stock barrel and was able to easily nail the kids with the expensive setups before they could touch me. I nailed 4 mask shots in my first game after installation. I was using PMI's during the games and had no breaks through approx 600-700 balls. During practice, no breaks using cheap wal-mart viewloader balls ($3 for 100?), after going through a whole 100 round tube. Fairly easy to install, took 15 minutes tops. I really recomend this barrel! I have not yet practiced with it enough but look forward to learning how to shoot around obstacles. The good of this barrel far outweighs the bad!

Weaknesses:

1 out of approx 7-10 would sail on me, but this was well worth it. Not to mention I was running Co2 a cold slightly windy day. The field was muudy and twice I fell on my face causing 2" of mud to go up the barrel. I was able to shoot it out by disconneting my hopper and shooting it out with air, but my accuracy was so bad afterwords I was basically out of the game. Took 10 minutes to take it apart and clean it out. Found I had to give it a good scrubbing with water even after using a squeegee or the accuracy was still suffering. After the scrubbing I was back in business. It is a pain to make sure the barrel is straight during initial installation and future cleanings.

Conclusion:

Again , I really like this barrel. I think the pros of using this barrel far outweigh the bad, and highly recomend it (as long as you are not playing against me). You will get much greater distance, with straight "rope" shots. I found the accuracy to be very good. You wil have to take a little more time to clean and maintain it but it is worth the extra trouble. Installation isnt as bad as they say. It also looks more like a rifle with the shroud setup, and my stock. Buy it if you want to shoot farther then anyone else on the field with accuracy!

Most Rebels out there
Every Tippmann out there
Kingman Spyder E-99
ATS AT-85

Marker Setup:

Tippmann 98 Custom - only a flatnine barrel now...

RecommendedPaintballs:

I recommend Big Bore balls (such as Proball or Big Ball)

Strengths:

Range
Accuracy
Gives a "Rifle-Like" feel to the gun

Weaknesses:

Gives a "Rifle-Like" feel to the gun
Takes time to set up right

Review:

The first thing that I need to say about this gun, is that not everyone will like it. The players that will like this gun the most are either scenario players or woodsball players. Speedball players do not even need this (since I can easily throw a ball the length of the field) and will probably not enjoy it.

It is all a matter of personal opinion when it comes to this barrel.

*The Good*

Range - Not many people can argue with this point, but the barrel will do what it is supposed to do, which is to fling the ball farther than any other paintball gun out there. This barrel is the only type of barrel that I know of that can actually pull this off well.

Accuracy - The gun is made more accurate by this barrel. There is no question in the barrel's accuracy, but the fact that the barrel system must be set up correctly to have this confuses most players. You need to tinker with the system to get the full potential of this marker barrel. Some players eye-ball how the barrel is screwed in, then keep it at position, and play away. Then they get very angry when the accuracy is very poor, and their paint seems the curve in the air. The system must be installed correctly and tinkered with to work. I will go into this more later.

Gives the Gun a "Rifle-Like" feel - Some players will like this fact, others will not. This point is all a matter of opinion though...

*Bad*

Gives the Gun a "Rifle-Like" feel - Some players will like this fact, others will not. This point is all a matter of opinion though...

Takes time to set up - This is where most people give up and say the barrel is worthless. It takes time to get the systtem installed the first time, and after that you must screw the barrel from side to side, turning it depending on how the balls curve in the air. When it is moving forward striaght, then you must adjust the velocity level. Some players will enjoy the tinkering, others will hate it and sell the barrel. Again, all opinion.

Conclusion:

Ok, well.....

The barrel does what it claims to do, and adds accuracy and definate range to the gun. But it also adds length and takes time to set up and get used to firing.

This is all a matter of opinion. I cannot honestly say that everyone should go out and but this barrel and will love it, because that is not true, this barrel is not for everyone. Not everyone will like this barrel, but some will love the fact that it gives them a "sniper-like" ability.

I highly stess that before you buy this barrel, that you test fire it at least once. If possible, try to play with it a gmae or two, and see how you like it. This will probably be the best possible way to decide on a purchase of any paintball product.

Ok, to wrap this up I will score the product. This is not a fact, but merely my opinion, which is all I can give to people about this barrel. Good luck, if you buy this barrel, and I hope that this review has been helpful.

I'm giving it a 9 because even though it has some bad points, the good truly outweighs the bad. I believe that this barrel has made me a more capable player as well.

First, I have only used the Flatline for 2 months, not 3, but there was no "2 months" to select from. Don't judge on that, though...I've used it plenty of times within those two months.

Allow me to start with some strengths:

Range: It shoots far. Like, really far. Well, what more did you expect? It claims to do it, and it does. The balls are capable of going over 200 feet, easy, and can travel much farther.

Looks/Feel: It looks cool, no doubt. Some don't like the shroud, but I think it adds a nice extra place to hold the gun if need be, and makes it much more realistic looking. It is a bit heavy, but not to the degree it will affect your game.

Trajectory: You see this a lot, too. It shoots in a line, with no noticeable dip in the shot. This is great for long shots, and shooting in brush. Thusly why this is a superb woodsball tool. It fires much more like a real firearm than a paintball marker.

Control: Zone control, that is. This thing is a great addition to a back player, or someone who like to keep people down behind their bunkers. The paint will be whizzing past them, and they are unable to return fire, or even move.

Some random stuff:

Installation: You don't have to be an airsmith to get this thing on your Tippmann. Follow the instructions, and you'll be fine.

Don't let people put you down because you own a Flatline. It is more than capable of eliminating players and doing something for the team in woodsball.

Busts: People often say that the Flatline doesn't always bust balls when it hits, which is true. Then again, balls don't bust all the time anyways. But, Flatline owners often counter by saying "Well, a chance of hitting is better than not, with or without bust", which is again, true. Point is, yeah, the balls don't bust all the time, but when you lob paint with a normal barrel, it doesn't have good chances of breaking, either.

Now, some bad:

Price: $120, roughly...that's a lot of money. If you are hardcore about paintball, it might not be, but it is for casual players, like myself. There are many barrels for cheaper which can improve your gun...while I'm on the topic, I suggest buying/keeping another aftermarket barrel. You may want to switch in between games, it isn't hard to get the Flatline off of your gun.

Upkeep: Well, you know have to take out an extra bolt when stripping your gun...whoo. But, the barrel is picky. Dry firing to get out paint and dirt is ineffective, due to the rough surface and curved shape. Solution? Carry a wire squeegee. Duck down, press the hopper release button, and swab through the barrel a few times. When a ball does break in there, and you can't get a squeegee, you are in trouble. The extra paint and bits off shell cause your shots to go all over. So can a lot of wind, so this is again best used in the woods.

Fluctuation: The thing isn't as accurate as people say it is. At close range, yeah, but what happens when you are shooting in excess of 150'? The balls are round, liquid filled projectiles that are SPINNING. Chances are, it may take an odd twist or turn. Also, if you are not holding the gun fairly straight, the balls can curve in odd directions. Some say you can use this to shoot around corners; I've yet to be able to hit someone like this.

I suggest doing something about Co2...whether it be an anti-siphon, remote line, expansion chamber, regulator, using HPA/Nitrogen, whatever. Co2 is inconsistent, and can make the velocity fluctuate on your marker. With the Flatline, this is bad. It happens to have a "sweet spot" over the chronograph, and can have some pretty inaccurate shots if you don't shoot in this "sweet spot". Make sure to test your marker over the day, for both safety and your Flatline.

You can't fire as fast while using a Flatline. The balls will chop while they are in your barrel, due to the curve. This, again, is bad. I've been able to turn out some decent BPS, but it breaks balls, every now and then. Not all the time, you can spray, and it may not break, but chances are, it will. You might get into situations where you have to spray, and this is where the Flatline falters. It is not good for close snapshooting, fast shooting, excessive movement, or anything like this. It will shoot under these conditions, and it may hit, but there will be...complications.

Conclusion:

Don't get me wrong, this review might seem negative and everything, but I love my Flatline. Care for yours, and it will care for you. Disregard the simple, common rules for it everyone sets down, and you might as well be shooting a stock Stingray. Hope you enjoy your Flatline as much as I do...nothings better than marking people right at the break.

As for the rating, I don't think anything deserves a 10, and the Flatline has several problems, but so long as you use it right, it scores an easy 9.

Accuracy at long distance, consistant when used properly, looks awsome

Weaknesses:

Price, and needs higher quality paint

Review:

After owning a 98 custom for about 5 months with out doing any modifications whatsoever I decided to buy the best barrel for my needs.

Buying this barrel 2 hours before a match was too much time for instalation from the many rants of how much work they are, setup was a breeze everything just seemed to fit right into place, took me about 10 minuets for a complete correct install

Showing up to the feild with a shiney new flatline was an awsome feeling. Before the match some people there wanted to see if the flatline did what it was supposed to do, Firing some paint all the way across the feild left some in awe and others in jealousy.
Other test included accuracy, rate of fire w/o breaking paint. Accuracy was awsome with proper aim I could make a 12 inch group of 7 shots at about 90' (normal distance between teams in a match). Rate of fire the flatline if not installed correctly can suffer in this area but with my carefull attention to instalation to make sure it was tightly secured made this barrel shoot just as fast w/o breaking balls as any other barrel on a 98c at the feild, I was able to shoot as fast as my fingers could pull which was counted to be about at an average 5-6 balls per sec.

Conclusion:

All in all, This barrel is THE choice for any woodsballer out there in dier need of greater accuracy and distance. With a little patience and 100's of balls later I have made the perfect match for the flatlines capability.

What it is
The Flatline barrel system manufactured for the Tippmann Pneumatics Model 98 is designed to produce a backspin on the paintball, which in theory produces lift, giving the ball a flatter trajectory. Since it's introduction, the system has been the subject of controversy, with some people calling it a revolution, and others writing it off as a gimmick. From my personal experience, I'd say it is none of the above.

The kit comes with a curved aluminum barrel and adapter, a plastic barrel shroud, several screws, a squeegee and a barrel plug. Installation is fairly straightforward and only takes a few minutes if you follow the included instructions. Operation of the gun remains the same after installing the kit. Physically, the gun is both longer and taller than it's original form, although not substantially heavier, in part due to the fact that the largest piece is made of plastic.

Performance
Upon shooting the Flatline for the first time, you'll notice the almost eerie floating effect of the balls. At a given velocity, the balls do fly with a flatter overall trajectory, as opposed to the pronounced "dropping arc" seen from standard barrels. This translates into a greater range without drop, and without the need to aim high and "lob" the ball for long shots. Aiming the Flatline is an odd experience for anyone used to a regular paintball gun. At first you may find yourself habitually aiming high for long range targets, but with the Flatline, things are much more "line of sight". The downfall to this greater range is that the ball slows substantially as it heads beyond "normal" paintball ranges, which could lessen the chance of a break on a soft target.

Accuracy of the Flatline system is overall better than the stock Model 98 barrel. However, that isn't saying much since my experience with the stock barrel has been somewhat less than amazing (see the accuracy test in the Comparo article). Accuracy at "normal" ranges falls short of other well-set-up guns as far as consistency is concerned. Although relatively tight groups of 3 or 4 consecutive shots can be attained, the Flatline produces an unusually high number of "zingers" which fly well off the intended target. At longer ranges it's difficult to compare the Flatline to other guns, since other guns simply cannot reach those ranges without aiming high above the target.

A few notes about using the gun;

1) It is fairly dependent on using good paintballs - the more consistent the paintballs are from a physical standpoint, the better the gun shoots.
2) The Flatline does not shoot well above 300 fps. If for some reason your Flatline is shooting "hot", you will know it, because it tends to produce a number of balls that will actually climb as they sail to their target, making aiming very difficult. Flatline users have no incentive to "cheat the chrono". We have recently found the best results actually come when using the gun in the 260 to 270 fps range.
3) Holding the gun in an upright position improves accuracy. Leaning the gun over can produce a curving shot - although it is an effect that can be used to advantage if you are creative.
4) The stock Model 98 is not very stable in terms of maintaining velocity (again, see the Comparo article), and as I've found out since first writing this review, addressing this fault does improve the performance of the Flatline system.
5) As with most paintball guns, paint in the barrel can play havoc with performance. However, the squeegee provided with the kit works very good, and as a matter of fact I have started to carry it with me regardless of which gun I am using.

Conclusion:

Opinion
On the field, using the Flatline is an experience that's hard to translate into words that will do it justice. The very first word that comes to mind is "fun". The ability to drop paint on opponents at an extended range surprised both my opponents and me. It often lead me and my team mates to laugh out loud, as someone who thought they were in a safe position at an extended range suddenly found themselves exposed to Flatline fire. With the liberal use of the trigger, it was quite easy to eliminate opponents at ranges beyond where normal guns could go. This was especially true in wooded portions of the field, where the overhanging canopy made lob shots difficult for other players. With the Flatline, you simply shoot straight through. And even though there were times when balls didn't break on opponents, the threat of a break was still enough to chase them from their position, allowing my team to advance.
Is the Flatline the perfect gun? Certainly not. I personally wouldn't want to have it as my only gun, but I really like having it around when needed. It works in certain situations, and is suited to a certain style of play. There are probably better (lighter and smaller) guns for short field speedball play, and on any field where opportunities for long range fire are non-existent, the Flatline is excessive. However, other situations beg for the Flatline. Although in print, or off the field, the performance of the system may be the subject of controversy, on the field where it counts there is much less debate. During the first scenario game in which I used the gun, there were over 300 players, and I personally saw over a dozen of them using the Flatline. People on both teams took note of "the guys with the Flatlines", calling on them to make long shots, and warning team mates of a Flatline user on the opposing team.

Due to an overall lack of consistency, the Flatline is not the magic answer to the long range, single shot sniper's dream - the gun does not inspire enough confidence to be used in that manner. However, in the right type of game, a determined player willing to spend some paint and use the Flatline effectively can certainly have a positive impact, not to mention a lot of fun!

if i were you i wouldn't buy brass eagles- they brake to easy in any barrel. Straight up i think diablos are the best. i particularly like midnights. but any tournament or even just a "good name" ball is alright for the flatline

Strengths:

increases accuracy, farthest shooting barrel what can you say? looks good too

Weaknesses:

does chop balls if they are cheap, high cost, doesn't have the best accuracy

Review:

First things first. Its a good barrel and well worth the money. If your a sniper there is no doubt you should get this. Even if you are a frontman you can still purposely curve the ball to bunker somebody. Thats always fun.

DON'T BUY CHEAP PAINTBALLS! (CHEAP MEANING POORLY MADE) make sure they have a good name behind them. such as the diablos. by buying the better made balls you can turn up you velocity. this allows you to overcome the VERY SMALL amount of slowness the backspin puts on the ball.

PEOPLE SAY STUFF ABOUT HOW THE BALL GOES SLOWER. i believe this is only semi true. the balls will probably not brake on contact quite as often as with a normal barrel. the wind is the only thing that slows it down. no wind- no velocity change. but this is a very small price to pay to have TWICE THE DISTANCE AND ACCURACY as other barrels.

THE DISTANCE IS GREAT! it really does live up to its name. i cant tell you how happy I am and how mad my friend was when i first played against him with the flatline. He has a E-99 (expensive electronic spyder product with titanium boomstick) I KICKED HIS A$$!!! I was throwing 4-5 balls past his head when his balls were hitting the ground 10 feet in front of me. I didn't even have to arch my gun (WHICH GREATLY HELPS IN WOODS-BALL!)

WOODS-BALL is more what the flatline was made for. you can't shoot as fast with the flatline so don't buy the flatline just for speed-ball. It still works but you might want to stick with your auto or w/e. and DON'T GET AUTO AND THE FLATLINE on the same gun. you will brake to many balls (all autos brake some balls), decreasing the accuracy and lessing the straight backspin of the ball because you have added extra weight to the ball with the paint.

CLEANING IS NOT HARD!!!! alot of people say you couldn't clean it on the field. if you really wanted to all you gotta do it untighten one allen wrench screw and you can pull the metal barrel out and clean it with a pull through squeegee. Don't get any solid straight squeegees. So don't mind what everyone says about hard to clean. its almost more simple than a regular barrel. If you are on the field and balls keep braking on after the other- you probably have pieces in there. all you gotta do is use that nice little hopper dropper that tippmann put on. you take that out. dry fire you gun a few times and your ready to go!

My suggestion would be to GET THE INLINE EXPANSION CHAMBER along with you flatline. this increases accuracy further because it doesn't let the ball spin in different directions if the gun is to let different amounts of CO2 out. the exp chamber stops this so buy it too, if you have the money.

Conclusion:

Overall the flatline is a great barrel. be careful what you read about it because for the flatline usually you either love it or you hate it. More often love it though! lmao so if you've got $100 go buy the flatline. it truly is an awesome barrel. The reason i gave it a nine is that it is a bit expensive